104 
PLANTING AND TRANSPLANTING. 
planted singly into the flower-garden, and dispassionately look at 
the mode in which it is usually done : a pointed dibble is thrust 
into the ground, compressing the earth by its action so tightly 
that a hole is left, into this the roots of the plants are pushed, and 
the dibble is again brought into requisition to squeeze the mould 
tight round them; fancy then what is the position of these very 
organs that we have just allowed to be so important, jammed 
between two hard surfaces, lacerated, broken, crushed, and com¬ 
pletely paralysed, if it were by nothing else, their unnatural 
perpendicular position would positively ensure such a state, then 
the plant droops and water is given it, which is a mockery, 
for the state of solidity into which the earth has been pressed, 
prevents alike the admission of the water and the action of the 
roots, could it get to them. 
I have no desire to obtain celebrity as a mere caviller, and 
know something of the trouble of removing three or four thousand 
plants annually, the experience gained in the practice of the latter, 
enables me to state positively that the dibble may be dispensed, 
and therefore any imputation of the former must fall harmless. 
I am aware too, that the practice now condemned has been 
the means through which much transplanting has been done, but 
a considerable loss of time in the progress of the plant to a > 
blooming state must ever follow such a mode, as until the roots 
regain their proper position, that part of the plant above ground 
is on a short allowance of food, and must therefore be retrograding 
to say nothing of the extra trouble thus incurred in keeping it 
alive till a reaction of the spongioles takes place. All this seems 
sufficient to warrant our abandoning the dibble, for though our 
fathers erred, it is no reason that we should continue sinning; 
and if the work may be done as easily without that detestable 
tool, which it certainly may, all the weight of the argument goes 
to displace it. The manner in which I would recommend trans¬ 
planting of this kind to be done, is first to prepare the ground 
intended to receive the plants by stirring the surface with a fork, 
and then they may be stationed either with the hand or a trowel, 
taking care always to spread out the roots laterally, and never 
press the ground except close round the stem sufficiently to steady 
it in its place; a little more time wall be consumed at the first by 
this method, but practice will soon make it familiar, and then it 
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